Novel cerium oxide particulates

Abstract

Morphologically improved cerium oxide particulates having low sulfur content, useful, e.g., as catalyst/catalyst supports, and having a B.E.T. specific surface of at least 130 m 2 /g measured at a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 500° C., are prepared by reacting an aqueous solution of cerium (IV) salt with an aqueous solution of sulfate ions to precipitate a basic ceric sulfate, filtering the precipitate which results, washing and optionally drying said precipitate, and thence calcining same.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A ceric oxide composition comprising ceric oxide particulates, said particulates consisting essentially of ceric oxide, said particulates having a B.E.T. specific surface of at least 130 m 2  /g, measured at a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 500° C. and said particulates having a content in residual sulfate ions, expressed as the molar ratio [SO 4   =  ]/]Ce IV  ], of less than 0.03. 
     
     
       2. Ceric oxide particulates consisting essentially of ceric oxide and having a B.E.T. specific surface of at least 130 m 2  /g, measured at a temperature ranging from 400° to 500° C. 
     
     
       3. The ceric oxide particulates as defined by claim 2, having a photomicrograph thereof comprising those of FIGS. 1 or 2. 
     
     
       4. Ceric oxide particulates according to claim 2 having a content in residual sulfate ions, expressed as the molar ratio [SO 4   =  ]/[Ce IV  ], of less than 0.03. 
     
     
       5. The ceric oxide particulates as defined by claim 4, having a B.E.T. specific surface of from 150 to 180 m 2  /g, measured at a temperature ranging from 400° C. to 500° C. 
     
     
       6. The ceric oxide particulates as defined by claim 4, having a content in residual sulfate ions, expressed as the molar ratio [SO 4   =  ]/[Ce IV  ], of less than 0.002. 
     
     
       7. The ceric oxide particulates as defined by claim 4, having an average pore diameters of about 30 Å.